Rome, 10 December 2001: As leaders of Roman Catholic religious congregations of Brothers and Priests active in nearly all countries of the world, we wholeheartedly associate ourselves with the call of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, to pray and to work for peace and mutual understanding among religions. In particular, we call on the members of our religious institutes to participate fully in the Day of Fasting on December 14 and the Day of Prayer on January 24, which have been proposed by the Holy Father.

We feel especially concerned by the increase in violence and war at the present time. We unequivocally condemn all recourse to terror, which can never be justified by any motivation. True religion promotes peace, mutual understanding, reconciliation, and non-violent resolution of difficulties. We condemn any use of God's name to justify violence.

We call on our own members, on ministers of all religions, on political and economic leaders, and on people of good will to join together in decisive and united efforts, much more intensive than before, to combat poverty, injustice, and marginalization in their root causes. We recognize that these situations often lead to desperation and irrational hatred.

We call on world leaders to take every means possible to avoid using war as the way to resolve differences. We urge them to avoid the rhetoric of revenge. We call for a concerted campaign to stop the proliferation of arms.

We express our condolence and our promise of prayers to the many victims of violence and war. We commit ourselves and our members to comfort the afflicted and to serve as agents of consolation and reconciliation.

19 December 2001: Three Provinces had to hold elections to replace three members elected to the General Council at the General Chapter in September.

Fr. Francisco Javier Maya Fernández, Vicar Provincial of the Baetica Province, replaces Fr. Rafael Leiva Sánchez as Provincial. Fr. Rafael was elected the General Councillor for the North- Mediterranean Region. As the normal process for a Provincial Chapter at the end of a three year term had already begun, Fr. José Ramirez Román has already been elected Provincial on the first ballot. He will be confirmed and will take possession of the office in the Provincial Chapter in March 2002.

Fr. Kevin McBrien was elected Commissary Provincial of the Western Commissariate on the PCM Province (USA). He replaces Fr. William J. Harry, O. Carm., who was elected as General Councillor for the North- Northern and Central Europe and North America.

Fr. Claudio Bellotti as Provincial of the Italian Province to replace Fr. Carlo Cicconetti who is now Vice General of the Order.

Rome, 21 December 2001: The Prior General, Joseph Chalmers, O. Carm., announced today the appointment of Patrick Thomas McMahon, O.Carm. (PCM) as President of the Institutum Carmelitanum in Rome.

"I am delighted that Fr. Patrick has accepted this important task. The Carmelite Institute has played a vital role for the past 50 years in the development of the Order’s awareness of its history and charism," said Fr. Joseph. "I believe that under Fr. Patrick’s direction, the Carmelite Institute will assist the Order as we continue our journey."

Patrick professed First Vows at the Monastery of Mt. Carmel in Niagara Falls, ONT on August 22, 1968. He received a B.A. from Marquette University (Wisconsin) and a M.T.S. from the Washington Theological Union (DC). He holds a Ph.D. in history from New York University. His dissertation for the Doctorate was entitled "Servants of Two Masters: A History of the Carmine of Florence 1267-1400."

Since 1998, Patrick has been the Provincial Delegate to the Third Order and since 1994 the director of the Carmelitana Collection at Whitefriars Hall in Washington, DC. Among his educational work, he has been a lecturer in the Carmelite Studies Program at the Washington Theological Union since 1992 and at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC in 1997, 1999, and 2000. He participates in Continuing Formation Programs at various OCD monasteries in the USA.

He is the author of a number of articles including "Carmelite Theology" and "Carmelite Women" in the Encyclopedia of Monasticism (Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers) and the article on "Carmelite Spirituality" in the New Catholic Encyclopedia. He has also contributed various festschrift articles, most notably for Eamon Carroll and Roland Murphy. In addition, he has presented papers at Medieval Conferences in 1994, 1997 and 2001.

Rome, 9 January 2002: In this little work, Fr. Joseph Chalmers, the Prior General of the Carmelite Order, takes as his starting point the Marian year that the Order has been celebrating in 2001. He examines the foundations of Carmelite Marian spirituality and focuses on one aspect, that of Mary as she who listened to the Word of God and allowed that Word to shape her entire life. Inspired by her example, Fr. Chalmers develops the theme of Our Lady as a model for each one of us as we seek to respond to the invitation to enter an intimate relationship of friendship with God.

The book contains six chapters and two appendices. The first has the letter of Pope John Paul II to the Carmelite Family on the occasion of the Carmelite Marian year. The second has the Rule, in the new English translation of Kees Waaijman, with the new numbering.

For copies of this book, please contact: P. Antonio Ruiz, O.Carm., Edizioni Carmelitane, CISA, Via Sforza Pallavicini, 10, 00193 Roma. Tel (39) 06-68100886/87, Fax (39) 06-68307200, Email – edizioni@pcn.net, Price of book – 10,000 Lire (c. $5) + p&p

January 12, 2002: The Chapter of the Provincial Commissary of Paraná was celebrated January 2-5 in Graciosa, Paranavaí, PR, Brazil. The Commissary is tied to the Upper German Province. Twenty-four member of the Commissary were present as well as the Provincial, Fr. Christian Körner, the Prior General, Fr. Joseph Chalmers, and the General Councilor for Latin America, Fr. Carlos Mesters. In all, there were 27 participants. The Chapter took place in a climate of mature and sincere fraternity.

The first day was the presentation of the relators of the activity of the superiors of the Commissariate, of the formation work, of the health of the different communities and of the pastoral activity in the parishes. The second day, after an evaluation of the proposals voted in during the preceeding Chapter of 1999 was the election. Elected were the following brothers: Commissary: Fr. Edimilson Borges de Carvalho; Councilors - Fr. Francisco Manoel de Oliveira, Fr. Wilmar Santin, Fr. Aleixo Rückl e Fr. Osmar Vieira Branco.

On the last day, the objectives were elaborated and voted on, the priorities, the action strategies and the means for realizing them in the next 3 years. With great openness, the brothers placed themselves at the disposition (of the Province) for the transfers and changes needed. At the end, there was a beautiful and emotional Eucharistic celebration.

Brazil, January 13, 2002:
Provincial: Fr. Geraldo d'Abadia Pires Maciel, O. Carm.
First Councilor: Fr. Marcelo Frezarini, O. Carm.
Second Councilor: Fr. Valter Rubens Gomes dos Santos, O. Carm.
Third Councilor: Fr. Gilvander Luís Moreira, O. Carm.
Fourth Councilor: Fr. Cláudio van Balen, O. Carm.

• Bishop Telesforo Cioli dies 

Rome, January 15, 2002: Today the Lord called home our brother Bishop Telesforo Giovanni Cioli, bishop-emeritus of the Diocese of Arezzo-Cortona-Sansepolcro. Bishop Cioli was born on April 21, 1907. Among other ministries, he was Provincial of the then Roman Province of the Carmelites. He was a member of the Second Vatican Council.

• A foundation in the Diocese of Caguas (Puerto Rico)

Rome, January 17, 2002: The Sacred Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Society of Apostolic Life has permitted a group of Puerto Rican nuns, residents for some years in the Monastery of Piedrahita (Avila, Spain), along with the former novice mistress of the Piedrahita Monastery, to leave the Order in order to make a foundation in the Diocese of Caguas (Puerto Rico), under the jurisdiction of the Bishop. This monastery will not be part of the Carmelite Order.

• Election Results of the Pernambuco (Brazil) Province 

Rome, January 24, 2002:
Provincial: Fr. João José Costa, O. Carm.
First Councilor: Fr. Rogério Severino de Lima, O. Carm.
Second Councilor:  Fr. Francisco de Sales Alencar Batista, O. Carm.
Third Councilor:  Fr. Sormani José Barbosa Lima, O. Carm.
Fourth Councilor: Fr. Joaquim Ferreira da Luz, O. Carm.

• Results of the British Electoral Assembly 

Rome, February 6, 2002:
Provincial: Fr. Antony Lester, O. Carm.
First Councilor: Fr. Patrick O’Keefe, O. Carm.
Second Councilor: Fr. Richard Copsey, O. Carm.
Third Councilor: Fr. Michael Manning, O. Carm.
Fourth Councilor: P. Wilfrid McGreal, O. Carm.

• Bishop Eliseu Maria Gomes de Oliveira, O. Carm, Dies 

February 17, 2002: The Carmelite Bishop-Emeritus of Itabuna (Brazil) died on Monday, February 11, 2002. He was 81 years old. The funeral services were celebrated on Tuesday afternoon, February 12, in the Cathedreal of Itabuna.